A/N: God I'm such a bitch. But here's the second chapter, the beginning of a MaGiCaL jOuRnEy! Sort of.

I didn't wake up until almost nine the next morning. I sat up quickly, surprised, then glanced at the clock. Fuck that, I'm a senior, I thought. I get to skip once in a while. I turned and poked Quil. He roused himself. Sam and Emily let him stay the night when I told them. I mean, the pack had pretty much known we were together and...physical. But after some minor freaking out on Emily's part, they'd agreed that it was for the best, and inevitable in the long run, that Quil stayed with me as much as possible.

Emily, however, also made me call my mom and say we were coming up for a visit this weekend. She wouldn't let me tell her on the phone. While I could see her reasoning, I still wasn't looking forward to telling my parents that their only daughter was pregnant with someone about fourteen years older than her (if we were going by a timeline) without a good two hour radius in between us.

The next person on my list was cringe-worthy as well: Leah. She'd settled her life into a holding pattern, at least, taking a few courses at community, bartending and waitressing at Ellie's. She'd even met a guy: but Aiden was not her imprint. It'd taken her years, and she was not stable exactly, but functioning regularly. But she still didn't have an imprint, and she still thought that she was worthless and broken sometimes. But the subject she was touchiest about was babies. When Sam and Emily's children came, she loved them fiercely, and no one was a better protector for them. But when they weren't around, she spiraled downwards, barely eating and sleeping. Three times she had left and stayed wolf for a month; each time it was the last month of Emily's pregnancy, the point during which Em glowed the happiest.

So she was pretty much going to love my baby, but hate me.

I told Quil that he would have to stay away. Emily too. I drove by myself, almost subconsciously holding my stomach with one hand.

"Leah?" I cautiously called. She bounded down the stairs, smiling.

"What up, kid?" she said, ruffling my hair. I winced, avoiding her eyes.

"I've got to talk to you," I mumbled, walking towards a beat up armchair. Her grin faded into confusion.

"What is it?" she said, coming to my side. She took my hand, gently putting her arm around me. "Whatever it is I can---" She froze solid, staring at me. She leaned in, almost like a vampire about to bite my neck. Her warm breath gave me goosebumps.

She sniffed.

Once.

Twice.

One long inhale.

Leah stood abruptly, crossing her arms hard over her chest. Her face was angry and harsh.

"You smell like mother," she hissed at me, hatred dripping into her words.

"I'm pregnant," I said, my lip trembling. I clasped my hands, tears streaming down my face, sopped up by the collar of my sweatshirt. Her hands were balled into fists, but trembling nonetheless, as her legs and torso started shaking. She turned and fled, silent as a whisper but for the loud, pained slamming of the back door.

After a few minutes, I picked myself up and dried my face on my sleeve. I climbed miserably into the car, starting up and dragging myself back to the house. I threw myself out as soon as I turned the ignition off in the driveway, and stomped up the front steps. Throwing my purse down in the entryway, I sniffled and called, "Quil?"

"He had to go wolf for a few minutes," Seth said, sitting at the table sipping coffee. "Congrats, Claire."

"Yeah, well, your sister hates me." I rubbed my eyes. Seth sighed heavily.

"She doesn't hate you entirely," he said. I snorted, still rubbing at the tears.

"Great explanation, Seth."

He got up and threw a warm arm around me. "She's insanely jealous, of course, but she's proud. You're her best friend, Claire-bear. She wants you to be happy, but that doesn't stop the envy."

"Yeah, well she's pretty much got a forest of green at this point," I said miserably. "I'm such an idiot."

"No you're not," Seth said, directing me to the couch. I flopped down, closing my eyes against a migraine. I rubbed my temples, wiggling into the couch...

And when I woke up, Quil was growling softly at someone, having a very quiet argument.

"Get the hell out!" he hissed, "You've done nothing good today. She's already exhausted, and all you did was make her feel like shit! This is the mother of my child we're talking about! So get the fuck out, Leah!"

"Quil," she whispered, pleading but frustrated, "I know. I'm a bitch. You already tore my arm off today, and I am sufficiently sorry! Now let me apologize to her!"

My brain tried to catch up.

"You are not sufficiently sorry until I say you are!" he snarled, almost so low that I couldn't hear. "You're not talking to her or even being in her presence until I know you are fucking sorry enough!" His breath whooshed in and out. I could tell they were glaring at each other. I sat up, moving the blanket he'd tucked me in to and looking over the worn out couch at the pair. They were standing on opposite sides of the round kitchen table, Leah near the door and Quil nearest to me. Leah was obviously there for her own protection, so that Quil couldn't rip her face off any further. Her arm was in a sling, and she had a faint bruise on her forehead. My mouth fell open. Quil did that?

She saw me stir before Quil did, and her face fell into one of profound relief.

"Claire, I'm so so so so so SORRY!" she practically wailed, finally edging out Quil and bolting toward me on the couch. She hugged me and kissed my forehead. "I'm going to be the best great-aunt-once-removed or some shit ever to your baby, and I'm so so so so sorry I flipped out! It's just...yeah, I'm jealous. But that doesn't mean I get to take it out on you! Do you forgive me? Please? I'll do whatever you want!" She looked at me, so sad and beat up.

"Dude," I said, taking her uninjured hand, "I forgave you at the first set of 'so's." I smiled a little. Her face broke into a genuine grin.

"Quil, come here a sec?" I asked him, smiling wider. Leah's eyes glittered as she moved over so he could sit next to me. He took my hand.

"Yes, Claire?" he said, staring into my eyes tenderly. His face almost made me reconsider, but whoops, too late.

"Don't do that to Leah ever again!" I said, my hand flying to smack him upside the head. He laughed as Leah giggled herself into a coma next to me, rolling around on the floor.

"Now go get us the gallon of ice cream, bitch!" I giggled to Quil. He kissed me, his tongue darting in and out of my mouth for one quick moment. Then, with a cocky grin on his face, he saluted me.

"Can do, imprint," he said, grinning.

Reeeviewww :)